Machine for making and applying staples



April 29, 1924. 1,492,009

(3. WENDELL MACHINE FOR MAKING AND APPLYING STAPLES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 4, 1920 WWW April 29, 1924. V 1,492,009,

C. WENDELL MACHINE FOR MAKING AND APPLYING STAPLES Filed Oct; 1920 2 Sheecs-Shieet? Fig.2

,, as ew h 7s 9a Patented Apr. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

momma ron immune AND APPLYING swarms.

Application filed October 4, 1920. Serial 170,414,621.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CONSTANT WENDELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Making and Applying Staples, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a-specification, like charac' ters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to machines for making and applying staples, and more particularly to machines which may not only form a staple, but also cause the staple to secure a string to a tag or other article.

In carrying the invention into practical effect, the staples are formed from suitable stock, in the present instance, in the form of a ribbon of steel or other metal which is fed into the machine step-by-step. Pron s are incised and bent from the stock, an then the staple is severed from the stock. A string 15 led from a source of supply and guided beneath the staple, so that when the latter is forced down into the tag or other article, the string is securely held between a portion of the staple and the face of the tag or other article. Then the tag and the attached string may be pulled outward a distance to furnish a string attached tothe tag of a desired length. Thereupon, the string ma be brought into contact with a severing evioe which cuts the string from its source of suppl The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to the following description of one good form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of staple forming machine embodyingtL- inventioug F'i 2 is a front rspective view of a portiin of the machiiie;

I Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale is a sectional detail showingthe cutters for incising and bending the prongs from the stock. and the cutter for severing the staple from the stock;

Fig. 4 is an end perspective view ofa portion of the machine showing means for guiding and holding the string for attachment to the tag or other article;

Fig. 5 shows steps in the production of the staple; and p Fig. 6 is a view of a tag with the string attached thereto by the staple.

Referring to the drawings, the machine shown therein as one good form of the invention, comprises a base '1 to which is secured a plate 3 supporting an anvil 5 provided with a pair of guide ribs 7 for positioning a tag or other article on the anvil in proper location to receive the staple. This anvil has a depression 9 therein suitably formed to clench the pron of the staple into the article, as more ful y hereinafter described.

A support may be provided for the supply of metal ribbon, in the present instance, in the form of a casing 11 adapted to receive a roll of ribbon. The casing may have a delivery slot 13 through which the free end of the ribbon may be drawn. The cas- 7 ing 11 may have a cover 15 detachably secured thereto by a nut 17 threaded on a post 19, the construction being such that the cover may be readily removed to enable replenishment of the ribbon material as required.

The staple forming, cutting and applying mechanism may be carried by a frame 21 comprising a pair of plates 23 connected by a front stud 25, a rear stud 27 and a bottom stud 29, thelatter servin as a pivot about which the frame may roe to permit insertion of the tag or articlebetween the frame and the anvil referred to. The frame is urged to its upward position by a spring 31 encircling the stud 29, and having a spur 33 engaging the plate 3, upward movement of the frame being limited by engagement of a too 35 with the plate.

Suitable means may ing the free end of the ribbon in the frame. To accomplish this, in the present instance, a guide bar 37 (Fig. 4) maybe secured to the under side of the frame, and have a groove 39 of a width corresponding to the width of the ribbon. An edge of this bar constitutes part of the die or cutter for be provided for guidthe staple. This means, inthe present in.

- stance, comprises a lever 41 (Fig. 1) having a slot 43 therein, through which the free end of the ribbon'is passed. A. leaf spring 45 secured to this lever has a lower end for engagement with the ribbon. The lever may be pivotally mounted on the stud 27 referred to, and have an arm 47 adapted to be rocked by a cam 49 pivotallymounted on the stud 25 referred to. r A. lever 51 projects from said cam and is provided with a knob 53 adapted to be pressed by the hand of the operator. The lever 51 may be normally held in upward position by a coil spring'55, having one end; connected to an ear 57 on said lever,,and its opposite end connectedto a bar 59 seated in notches in the frame plates 23. The lever .41 maybe given a forward feeding movement by a U-shaped spr1ng'41 engaging the back of said lever, and encircling thestud 27. The forward movement of the lever 41 may be limited by a screw41.

threaded into the lever and adapted to engage a suitable abutment 41"; At the front of the frame is a plate 61 (Figs. 2 and .4) serving as a stopto limit the feeding movement of" the ribbon.

The construction is such that when the.

- knob 53 is pressed, and the lever 51 is rocked thereby causing the spring 45 to pressthe d0wnward, the cam 49 will operate through the arm47 and rock the lever41 rearward. In the course of this movement, the end of the spring 45 will slide over the ribbon wlthout feeding the same. On the return of the lever 51 to, its upward position by the spring55, the cam. 49w1ll allow the lever,v

41 to be drawn by its spring 41 forwardly,

ribbon against the bottom of the slot 43, and grip the same so as to feed the rlbbon forward a step until limited by the stop plate 61. s

Referring more particularly. to Fig. 5, it is desirable in forming thestaple from the .stock 62 to, incise the latter along the lines 635 Then the prongs 65 thus formed are bent downward along lines 67, and then the the stock along the staple is severed from line 69. a V

Suitable means may be provided for thus forming a staplefrom the stock. In the present instance of the invention, this means comprises a pair of cutters 71 having lower slightly curved or inclined cutting edges 73 (Fig. 2) adapted to co-operatewith the oblique edge of the die 37 referred to, to

incise the blank along the lines 63. On downward movement of' the cutters, the lower ends thereof willengage the prongs 65 and bend the same downward, as will be noted in Fig. 2.

Suitable means may be provided to reciprocate the cutters 71. To accomplish this, in the' present instance, they have upper ends 7 5 bent over and engaged by a spring 77 (Fig. 1) which may "desirably constitute a continuation of the spring 31 referred to, attached to the stud 29. To move the cutters 71, downward, a pair of earns 79 may be secured to the hand lever 51 and engage the bent over ends of the cutters. The

construction is such that when" the hand leverisfrocked downward, the cams will wipe fagainstthe cutter ends 75 "and force the cutters downward, and on release of the hand lever, the spring 77 will move the cutters 'upward. 1

Suitable means maybe provided tosever the staple from the ribbon along the line 69.v This means, in the present instance,

comprises a. central cutter 81 (Fig.1 3) adapted to co-operate with the edge of the d1e 37, the lower end of the cutter 81 being slightly inclined with respect to the length of the cutter to facilitate the cutting action.

The cutter 81'may have its upper end 83 bent over so as to be engaged by the spring 77, and moved ,upward'thereby. To move the cutter 81 downward, a cam 85 may be formed on the lever '51 for engagement with the cutter end 83. The construction is such that after the cutters 71 have incised 'and'bent the prongs 65 downward from the ribbon, the'cutter 81 will be forced downward to sever. the staple from the ribbon along the line 69. I i 9 Suitable means maybe providedto support a, supply of stringto beattached' to the tag or other article. This means, in the present instance, comprises a post 86 (Fig. n

This means, in the present instance, is in the 1 form of a hole87. (Figsi2 and 4) extend-j ing transversely through the die bar '37.- Suitable means may be provided to frictionally' hold the string adjacent the guide hole. This means, in the present instance, comprises a 'leaf spring 89 (Fig. 4) having a felt face89 and secured by a screw 91" to one of the frame" plates 23. The string may.

be led from the spool between the lower edge of the frame plate and the leaf spring 7 89, and itsfree end may be threaded throu h the guide hole 87 so that the end of the engage the rounded recess 9 an string. will project somewhat beyond the back of the staple. The frictional elfectof the spring 89 may be adjusted byithe screw 91 as desired. The tag or other article may the anvil so that the edges thereo adjacent a corner of the tag orarticle will engage the guide ribs 7 referred to, and a portion of the tag or article will lie over the clenching recess 9. 'When the hand lever 51 is rocked downward, first the frame will be rocked toward the anvil, and then the cutters 71 will operate to incise the prongs from the ribbon and bend the same downward. Then the staple will be severed from the ribbon and forced by the lower end of the cutter 81 downward, and the rongs will 3 be turned inward and u ward thereby, so as to be clenched into t e tag or article. Since the end of the strin is beneath the staple, it will be pressed lownward by the back of the staple and be confined between the same and the upper face of the tag or article.

Suitable means may be provided to sever the string from its supply. This means, in the present instance, comprises a cutter conveniently in the form of a knife 93 (Figs. 2 and 4) secured to the stop plate 61 referred to. After the string has been attached to the tag or article, the latter may be lifted from the anvil, and the string may be drawn through the guide hole 87 a distance to furnish the length of strin desired for the tag. Then the string may e given an upward movement so as to bring the same into contact with the knife 93, and be severed thereby. The knife 93 maybe spaced forwardly from the staple forming mechanism a suflicient distance so that a short end portion of the string will project be 0nd the staple.

he anvil 5 may be provided with any suitable guides to position the staple and connect the string thereto at the. point desired. It will be noted that in the present instance the guides are so disposed that the staple is located adjacent a corner of the tag, and an article is produced such as shown in Fi 6, comprising a tag 95 having a string 97 w1th its end portion secured to the tag by a staple 99.

The term string used herein is to be understood as generic to thread, wire or any other filament.

By my invention there is provided asimple and etlicient machine whereby staples may be formed from stock, and string may be socured by the staples to tags or other articles. The distance of the string cutter 93 from the staple forming mechanism may be varied so as to provide end portions ofthe string projecting beyond the staple of varied length. F or some purposes the string befplacedon frictional engagement ,with the staple and tag. For other purposes it may be desired 7 to tie the end or other portion of the string about the staple,'more securely to connect the string to the tag. v

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A machine for attaching strings to tags comprising, in combination, a support, an anvil on said support, a carrier pivotally mounted on said support, means for feeding a metal ribbon into said carrier, means on said carrier in opposition to said anvil for forming and severing a staple from the ribbon, said carrier being adapted to rock toward said anvil to apply a staple to a tag on the anvil, and means on said carrier for positioning an end portion of a string between the staple and ta g, that the staple may secure the end portion of the string to the tag when applied thereto.

2. machine for attaching strings to tags comprising, in combination, a support, an anvil on said support, a carrier on said support movable toward and from said anvil, means for supplying a met-a1 ribbon to the carrier, means for forming and severing a staple from said ribbon, means for supplying string to the carrier, means for positioning an end portion of the string beneath said ribbon, and means for applying the staple to the tag with the end portion of the string. between the staple and tag.

3. A machine for attaching strings to tags comprising, in combination, an anvil. a carrier movable toward and from said anvil, means for feeding a metal ribbon into said carrier, a stop on the carrier adapted tobe engaged by the end of the n'bbon to limit its in-feed movement, means on said carrier for forming and severing a staple from the end portionof said ribbon, means on the carrier for guiding an end portion of a string beneath the end portion of the ribbon, a cutter on the carrier adjacent the stop for the ribbon for severing the string a short distance beyond the staple formed from the end portion of the ribbon, and means for applying the staple and the end portion of the string to the tag on movement of the carrier toward the anvil.

i. A machine for attaching strings to tags comprising, in combinatioman anvil, a

carrier movable toward and from the anvil, means for feeding a metal ribbon into the carrier, means on the carrierfor forming and severing a staple from the ribboniand including a hand lever on the carrier, and means for holding a short end portion of a string beneath the staple forming means,

will be sufiiciently secured to the tag by its said hand lever being operable to form and sever a staple fromthe ribbon and move the carrier toward the anv'il'to apply the, staple and the end portion of the string to the tag,

5. A maehine for attaching strings to 5 tags comprising, in combination, means for feeding a metal ribbon into the machine,

means for forming and severing a staple from said ribbon, means for'applying the staple to a tag, a device adjacent to and at 10 the rear of said staple forming means havname to this specification.

CONSTANT WENDELL. 

